Chicken Salad

This is my favorite chicken salad "recipe". I don't measure with this, but I love this flavor combination. These are my best guesses for amounts, but don't be afraid to experiment.

Ingredients

2 Cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken
4 Tbs. homemade mayonnaise
1 tsp. grated lemon zest or 2 tsp. chopped, preserved lemon peel
1-2 tsp. chopped pickled jalapenos (OR whole non-pareil capers)
1 clove garlic freshly crushed
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste (you will probably not need salt if you used preserved lemons and/or if you salt your mayo)
Fresh greens, such as arugula, spinach, butter lettuce, romaine lettuce, etc.

Method

Mix all ingredients except greens together until desired consistency is reached. Serve on a bed of greens.

Cole Slaw

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 yellow onion
3 carrots
1 large green cabbage

for the dressing:
1/4 c plus 2 T olive oil
1/4 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T lemon juice
honey to taste

METHOD:

Grate or puree the onion in a food processor.  Grate the carrots.  Put the thin slicing blade on the food processor and slice the cabbage.  Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

To make the dressing, whisk together the ingredients and pour over the vegetables.  Stir to coat thoroughly, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

Crab and Asparagus Salad

This salad turned some leftovers into a fabulous lunch.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c crab meat
1 c cooked asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 c cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 c mild cheese, cut into small cubes (optional)
2 T olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp curry powder or cumin
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Combine the crab meat, asparagus, tomatoes, and cheese (if using) in a bowl.  Drizzle the olive oil over the food and stir to coat, then sprinkle on the salt and pepper and curry powder and stir.  Pour on the lemon juice and stir again. 

Turkey Pecan Waldorf Salad

This makes a nice lunch or light dinner.  It can be served on its own or on a bed of salad greens.

INGREDIENTS:

1 c cooked turkey, cut into pieces
2 stalks of celery
1 large crisp apple
1/2 c pecan pieces
1/2 c red grapes, cut in half

For the dressing:
1/4 c plus 2 T mayonnaise (6 T total)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 T olive oil
salt to taste
a little honey, optional

Chop the celery (I like to include the leaves), and place in a medium mixing bowl.  Cut the apple into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.  Put in the meat and grapes.

To toast the pecan pieces, put them into a dry skillet and heat them on medium heat while stirring.  Remove from heat when they start to smell really good.  Let them cool, then add them into the salad and mix.

Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together and pour over the salad. 

You can substitute raisins or chopped dates for the grapes.  Chicken would work in place of turkey.  You can also try adding fresh herbs, such as  parsley or cilantro for a little more flavor.

Lima Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

This salad is so simple and absolutely delicious. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked and rinsed lima beans
1 roasted red bell pepper
about 1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-2 T olive oil
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste (preferably a course, gourmet salt such as Hawaiian Red Salt)

METHOD:

Cut the pepper into chunks and mix with the beans and parsley in a small bowl.  Add enough olive oil to generously coat the vegetables, squeeze on some lemon juice, and sprinkle on the salt.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

This dish is for those who aren't as wild about brussels sprouts.  By shredding them and adding other strongly flavored ingredients, such as bacon and lemon juice, the strong flavor that these little veggies can have is toned down a bit.  Of course, if you really love their flavor, you can let it shine through!

INGREDIENTS:

About 2 cups of brussels sprouts (shredded)
About one large handful of sliced leek
3-4 slices of bacon
salt to taste
dash of lemon juice or vinegar

optional- dry white wine, bourbon, anchovies, olives, or Parmesan cheese

METHOD:

 Chop the raw bacon into small pieces and put them in a shallow pan on medium heat. Stir them frequently so they cook evenly.  Prepare the brussels sprouts while the bacon cooks down and becomes crispy.  When it does, remove the bacon into a dish and set aside.  Leave the drippings in the pan!

Rinse the brussels sprouts and remove any tattered outer leaves, and cut off the stems.  To shred them, cut them in half from pole to pole, then make thin slices from top to bottom.  Don't worry if oyu don't have exactly 2 cups- the recipe can be flexible.

Add the leek to the hot bacon drippings and let cook for several minutes.  Add the shredded brussels sprouts and stir.  Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the brussels sprouts become bright green and soften.  Try a little to see if it's done.

Remove from heat, slat to taste, and add a dash of either lemon juice or vinegar.  Add the bacon pieces back in or serve them on the side.  At this point you can add any of the optional ingredients if you'd like.

Mexican Caprese Salad

I can't harvest a beautiful, ripe red tomato from the garden without thinking of Caprese Salad- the wonderful summer dish of fresh tomato, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella.  Since the fresh mozzarella is out, I tried to think of what else has a creamy texture and goes well with tomatoes....  Once I had the avocado and tomato combo, it seemed only natural to give it a more Mexican feel.  This is a bit unorthodox, but it is delicous!

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, depending on size
1-2 avocados, depending on size
handfull of cilantro
olives to taste
olive oil
salt to taste

METHOD:

Slice the tomatoes and avocados, and then arrange them on a plate in a circle, alternating tomato with avocado.  Drizzle generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with cilantro and olives.  Salt to taste.

Apple and Beet Salad

This salad was a favorite of mine before starting GAPS and has become one of my favorite diet-legal comfort foods. It is also my current favorite replacement for potato salad.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 medium beets
1-2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith
2-3 pickles or to taste
1/2 cup or so of onion, diced

For dressing:

1/4 c olive oil
3 T mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
fresh dill (optional)

METHOD:

Cook the beets and chop into bite-sized pieces. Cut the apples into similar sized pieces. Dice the pickles. Combine these ingredients in a medium bowl, and add the onion.

 To dress the salad, either follow the recipe above or, if you are feeling more adventurous, here is how I prefer to do it:
Pour on enough olive oil to coat the vegetables nicely. Stir in a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise, add the salt and any other seasonings if using, stir, and then add some vinegar. The dressing is really a matter of preference. I like to keep the dressing light and tangy.

This is a very attractive-looking salad and works well on special occasions.

Asian-Style Cole Slaw

This is a light, delicious, and somewhat sweet version of cole slaw. My 8-year-old, who can't stand normal cole slaw, likes this version. It is a very refreshing summer side dish and goes very well with Chicken Satay
http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/08/chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce.html

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium cabbages
1 large carrot
1/2 sweet onion
1-2 ribs of celery, optional

For the dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar *
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 T honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 T olive oil
about 1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
handful of chopped cilantro, optional

*Balsamic vinegar is not legal on the official SCD list, but with the note that real balsamic vinegar is fine, it's just that most of what you get here in the US is not actually balsamic vinegar. I'm pretty sure that what I have is real and my family seems to tolerate it fine. If you are concerned, you could either use all apple cider vinegar, or there are recipes for SCD replacements for balsamic vinegar around.

METHOD:

Shred the cabbages in a food processor (I use the thin slicing blade), or finely cut by hand. Grate the onion and carrot. If using the celery, slice thinly and add to the veggies. Place all the veggies in a large bowl.

Combine the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the veggies. Mix in the cilantro if using. Taste and add salt if needed.

Thai Cucumber "Noodles"

My 8-year-old suggested that we make cucumber noodles using the same technique that we use to make zucchini noodles, but eat them raw instead of cooking them. This seemed to lend itself to a Thai-style dressing so this recipe was created. These are delicious and are one of my husband's favorite foods on the diet.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 large cucumbers
juice of 1 lime
3 T peanut butter (tahini would also work well)
1 T honey
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 T toasted sesame oil
1 T olive oil
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of Chinese 5-spice powder*
about 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

For garnish:
1 handfull of cilantro, chopped
about 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped or crushed
tomato slices

*I get my spice blends from Mountain Rose Herbs and have not had a problem with them.

METHOD:

Peel the cucumbers. Take a cucumber and hold it over a bowl, and peel off thin strips using a vegetable peeler into the bowl. I stop when I get down to the seeds. Continue until all the cucumbers have been shredded.

Put the shredded cucumber into a colander over a bowl or sink, and mix in the salt. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to draw out excess water.

Mix together the remaining ingredients to make the dressing. The dressing will be very thick, but it will thin out once added to the cucumbers as they give off more water. Dress the cucumber noodles when they are ready. Garnish with the chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts and tomato slices, or whatever else you would like.

NOTE: To save time, you could make this as a salad by thinly slicing the cucumbers with a food processor instead of shredding them.

Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

One of my favorite side dishes of summer used to be potato salad so I have tried several attempts at finding a substitution. So far, this is my favorite. It looks somewhat like the real thing, and the flavor is close, especially if you let this salad sit in the fridge for a day to allow the flavors to blend.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large cauliflower
1/2 sweet onion
3 hard-boiled eggs
3-4 pickles
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
4 T apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
salt to taste

METHOD:

Break or cut the head of cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and steam them until tender. Put them into a large mixing bowl. Chop the eggs, onion and pickles and add them to the bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add the dressing to the cauliflower. Taste and adjust the seasonings, and add more mayo or vinegar if you want.

Ceviche

My DH used to make ceviche with large shrimp when we lived on the East Coast. Now that we live on the West Coast, we use small salad style shrimp which are local, wild and sustainable, not to mention inexpensive here. I recommend making this in the morning on the day you will be serving it. I found this to be delicious, even two days after it was made.

Ingredients

1 pound small salad shrimp, cooked

2 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

2 oranges, juiced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

4-6 jalapeno rings finely chopped

1 tomato, diced

1 Hass avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon roughly chopped cilantro leaves, plus leaves for garnish

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Method

Rinse and drain shrimp. Place in a non-reactive bowl (I use glass). Add the lemon, lime and orange juices and stir in the cucumber, red onion and chiles. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Stir the tomato, avocado, chopped cilantro, and olive oil into the shrimp mixture at least 30 minutes before serving.

BLT Salad

Sometimes I crave certain things. A BLT sandwich used to be a favorite. I developed this salad when Iwas on a GFCF diet. It took me a while to remember that I can have it on GAPS! I use Organic Prairie bacon that is sweetened with only honey. I called the company to be sure that there were no hidden ingredients, and they assured me that there are not. We haven't had any trouble with it, but we still limit it to once per week or less. It's pretty expensive too, so it's one of the few foods that I "ration". This salad is a great way to get the flavor without using too much bacon.

This makes one generous serving for a meal or two smaller servings as an accompaniment. You could serve it with a slice of onion torte and a cup of your favorite soup.

Ingredients

Two big handsful romaine lettuce (or other greens) torn into bite size

A palmful of grape tomatoes sliced in half

3 slices of bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled

2 Tbsp. homemade mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

I've been looking for a side dish to take the place of potato salad, both in terms of filling, starchy-feeling comfort food as well as ease of preparation. I came across the idea for this in an old church fundraiser cookbook- few of the ingredients were GAPS legal, so I modified it and the result has been a big hit with my family.

To make the salad, steam one head of cauliflower and about the equivalent amount of broccoli. Dress it as you would have for potato salad. I make a simple dressing from olive oil, GAPS mayonnaise, salt, and some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. This would be acceptable early on in intro, once whole egg is introduced. Later, you can add chopped Bubbie's pickles and chopped onions or whatever else suits your fancy.

Pork Ribs with Coleslaw

My kids love pork ribs, and since they are inexpensive, we love them too. Pork ribs can handle a lot of flavor so I wanted to find a way to really "jazz them up". I came up with this recipe today and it was a real hit! It went very well with coleslaw, and had I had time, I would have made a pot of collard greens and Teri's onion torte (to stand in for biscuits) as well.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of pork ribs
1 onion, cut into slices
1 lemon, cut into wedges
5 cloves of garlic, crushed (or more!)
2 T butter, ghee, or animal fat
2 tsp grated ginger
1 bay leaf
2 star anise pods
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
3 T honey
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put the onion slices on the bottom of a large dutch oven or large oven-proof pan with a lid. Place the meat on top, and put the lemon slices and garlic around the meat. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the meat. Throw in the bay leaf and the star anise.

In a bowl, mix the fat with the remaining ingredients, just enough to blend- it can still be chunky. If you can have tomato, I'd add at least 1 cup of tomato sauce or several T of tomato paste at this point. If you like your food strongly flavored, you may want to go a bit heavy on the spices.

Spoon the mixture over the meat and and spread it around. Do not add extra liquid- plenty of liquid will cook out of the meat, onion, and lemon. Cook on low for 3 hours. Adjust seasonings before serving.

This dish goes very well with cole slaw.